PG&E reminds consumers to update their contact information for planned outage alerts • The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CAThe Mendocino Voice

By Willie S. Morrissey Last updated Jul 25, 2022

MENDOCINO CO., 07/22/22 – Recent fires near Boonville and Laytonville amid high temperatures and dry days are a reminder that the risk of fires is increasing. Scheduled outage season is rarely far behind, and utilities want to remind customers to update their contact information so they can receive critical alerts.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), along with other California utilities such as Southern California Edison, are permitted to turn off power lines during times of extreme fire danger, a procedure they call a power cut. current for public safety (PSPS). This includes conditions of high heat and low humidity with strong winds, during which the National Weather Service (NWS) may issue a red flag warning. PG&E relies on forecasts to predict when power may need to be shut down and is required to notify customers when they may be at risk or in a block of planned outages.

How to be sure to be notified:

Customers with active PG&E accounts, including those that PG&E administers for Sonoma Clean Power customers, will be automatically contacted in connection with any scheduled power outages. They should ensure their contact information with PG&E is up to date by logging into their online accounts and following the instructions, or by calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. PG&E will call and text with outage information. County residents can also register with MendoAlert for more public safety information, including evacuation warnings and other alerts.

It is not necessary to receive the electricity bill to receive outage notifications at a specific location. If an invoice is for someone such as a homeowner, it is still possible to get an “address alert” from PG&E by going to pge.com/addressalert. This service is also available for households with multiple members who need notifications, those who want to check on loved ones, or people who need to keep track of their business terms. Re-registration is required each year, so those who registered before June 2022 must re-register.

PG&E provides additional supports to Medical Baseline customers who receive a discount on their electricity to offset medical equipment power costs. This Planned Outage Assistance includes portable batteries for eligible customers who depend on medical equipment for survival. North Coast Energy Services, which also provides payment assistance to low-income households, is PG&E’s Mendocino County partner in this program. PG&E also maintains a checklist of recommended emergency preparedness tips for ventilator users and others with life-saving energy needs. In addition to standard texts and calls, Medical Baseline customers will receive a door knock if they do not respond to outreach attempts.

Disabled and medically frail customers — designated by state emergency planners as those with access and functional needs — can also call 211 or text “PSPS” to 211-211 for information and help before, during and after breakdowns.

By shutting off power, utilities hope to prevent fires by limiting line breaks, transformer malfunctions and other problems under conditions of maximum danger. A Wall Street Journal analysis identified 1,500 fires between 2014 and 2017 caused by PG&E. In April 2022, the utility accepted a $55 million settlement for damages caused by the 2021 Dixie fire and the 2019 Kincade fire, both determined to be caused by faulty PG&E equipment. PG&E also caused the infamous Campfire of 2018.

After numerous PSPS closures in 2019, the Public Utilities Commission held the utility responsible for “flawed implementation,” citing poor reporting practices, website outages and the inability to transmit data online. safely to public safety partners. The utility has made a number of adjustments to the system since then, but consumers — especially in the Mendocino County powder kegs — need to plan ahead.

PG&E regularly updates its PSPS information site before and during outages: https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/updates/ You can also find the company’s weather forecast online here, as well as a specific web page for forecasts of planned power outages. here.